1. The Field of the Invention
A method of preparing a base blend for use in forming composition such as a master batch is disclosed in which the base blend of filler is mixed with other materials such as a silane compound to enhance bonding as well as other materials such as an acid scavenger and an antioxidant. The base blend is then mixed with other materials such as a suitable carrier resin and a particle encapsulator to form a mixture that is then combined with a base resin to form a composition.
2. The Relevant Technology
A resin like polyethylene and/or polypropylene is typically selected for desired physical properties some of which can be controlled using additives that include colorants, lubricants, stabilizes, foaming agents and various fillers. Traditionally, fillers have been used to lower the cost of a composition. In turn, the resulting product is less expensive because expensive resin is being replaced by less expensive filler. Fillers may also be used to control some of the physical properties such as strength, hardness, impact resistance, sheer and other structural characteristics of the resulting material.
Fillers are also known to have some impact on processing characteristics of a melt. For example, unfilled polymers behave like non-newtonian fluids with viscosity changing during melt processing. Additives impact on the rheology except that increasing the amount of the filler (regardless of the shape of the particles of the filler) leads to reduced melt elasticity. M. Xanthos, Functional Fillers For Plastics (Wiley—VCH 2005) pp. 32-35.
Fly ash, cinders and combinations of fly ash and cinders have been identified as fillers that can be used with resins in a beneficial manner as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,879,939 (Prince et al.) (hereinafter the '939 Patent).
Fly ash as well as the cinders vary in chemical and physical make up based on, among other things, the specific source of the hydrocarbon like coal and the combustion process. In turn, fly ash varies in physical make up from source to source (e.g., electrical power plant) and even within a given source as combustion processes and raw materials are varied. In turn, fly ash by itself and also together with cinders have not been used as a filler because its physical and chemical make up is not standard or consistent.
To create a standard or consistent fly ash composition that is optimized, U.S. Patent Application Publication 2011/0071252 published Mar. 24, 2011 (the '252 Publication) discloses methods and procedures to select an optimized filler or filler blend. In other words, fly ash with and without cinders can be treated and blended or mixed to form a filler that is useful when introduced into molten compositions as disclosed in the '939 Patent.
It is also known to use certain additives with the fillers to control the physical properties in the manufacture of a wide variety of products from or using resin. Some additives are difficult to add because they cannot be mixed into a dry blend without causing the formation of lumps and clumps that interfere with dispersion and uniformity. Further, some additives are expensive and are better replaced with other additives that lead to reduced cost over all for the products. But it has not been known how to effectively blend wet additives in a dry material so that later combinations with selected resins can be effected more efficiently to control physical properties.